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Thursday, 15 December 2011

We have heard of macro-nutrients and micro-nutrients. What are these fighto-nutrients? Well, apart from all the proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals there are a new found group of nutrients called as phyto-nutrients or phytochemicals. They are known to promote health and protect us from various diseases.

Let us discuss some of the phyto-nutrients which are commonly found in nature. These nutrients are known to protect us against cancer, heart disease and age related macular degeneration. They are involved in many processes including ones that help prevent cell damage, cancer cell replication, and decrease cholesterol levels.

Flavonoids – Commonly found in onion, tea, wine, dark chocolate and most of the berries like strawberries, raspberries, blueberries etc.

Iso flavones - Mostly available in soya beans and soya products

Lignans – Commonly found in whole grains and berries, known to protect against colon cancer.

Phytosterols – Found mostly in plants especially in green and yellow vegetables. They help to regulate cholesterol level in the body by blocking the absorption of dietary cholesterol and helping to excrete it from the body.

Fruits, vegetables and whole grains are the main source of such a wonderful life enhancing phyto-nutrients. Hence, it is imperative to have 75% of our dietary requirements met through these three food groups.

With such a wonderful disease fighting qualities, it is not wrong to call them Fight-o-Nutrients J

Wednesday, 14 December 2011

2mpower seed was germinated in January of 2009. First sign of life was seen in Oct, 2009 with clients started registering at Koramangala center. After 24 months of nurturing, we are seeing some sign of evolution.

Rangarajan (Ranga) & Kiran have shown trust in our intentions, concept and sincerity. Both have joined in November of 2011 as strategic investors.

2mpower next steps towards creating smart solution on wellness, should bring large number of clients to embrace this simple but powerful concept of preventive care.

Everyone of us inherit at least one talent or specialty, which is our second nature. However, most of us fail to identify that. As soon as we are born, we take on us responsibilities, which are set as per societal norms. Starting from schooling till we reach at the peak of our career, we get embroiled in transactions.

Very few people make an extra effort to identify this hidden God gifted talent. Excelling in that field becomes natural to such people. The soul and the mind are in sync, hence the conflict does not arise. Usain Bolt, Sachin Tendulkar, Narayana Murthy, J.K. Rowling, Steve Jobs are such examples. It is not necessary that such people have to come in spot light.

When such talent is honed towards the benefit of universe, with selfless motive, the wavelength of soul and mind match to create resonance. People who are able to attain this are called mahatmas or prophets. Gautam Buddha, Gandhiji, Mother Teresa are few recent examples.

All of us have this spark, it is our duty to identify, hone and deploy for the benefit of this unique world.

Tuesday, 8 November 2011

Someone said, What we do for ourselves dies with us, what we do for others remains and is immortal.

Last month I ran for a cause. I requested my friends & colleagues to chip in. To my surprise, response was overwhelming.

Have you ever wondered why people volunteer and help others in need?

People who volunteer are doing work that promises them no obvious personal gain. Sometimes it may involve significant costs. For celebrities, it is a fashion statement to involve in volunteering or work for a cause.

Let us try to understand the psychology behind this noble act. Psychologists have listed key drivers based on extensive research on this subject.

-Values.Volunteering to satisfy personal values or humanitarian concerns. For some people this can have a religious component. Their motive behind doing so is mainly on humanitarian concerns.

-Community concern.Volunteering to help a particular community, such as a neighborhood or ethnic group, to which they feel attached. We see a lot of community groups who pool in the money and help people who are part of their own community.

-Esteem enhancement.Volunteering to feel better about themselves or to release stress. Helping is emotionally rewarding and immensely satisfying.

-Understanding. Volunteering to gain a better understanding of other people, culture or place. People involve in voluntary works in emerging economies to appreciate cultural nuances.

-Personal development Volunteering to challenge oneself, to meet new people or for career advancement. People start their career by volunteering, grow their network and then start a new venture or take up a job.

There are some studies that say helping is biologically motivated & runs in the genes. Studies have also shown that children who have parents with such behavior learn to inculcate helping behavior in them quickly. Studies have related altruism to religion, e.g. Buddhism sees altruism as a fundamental property of human nature.

So, when I am helping others, I am actually helping myself

We're quite familiar with the stories of survivors of tragic events helping other survivors. Have you ever thought that it is a common survival strategy? Yes, focusing on others can give them a place to stand when the rest of their world may be crumbling.

When we give back, we are spreading joy like a perfume, which cannot be poured on someone without getting some on our self. When we freely give our self there is little room left for feeling depressed, sad or lonely.

I can complete this article, without mentioning health & wellbeing! Research shows that unselfish individuals have reduced mortality rates and have better physical & mental health. A person who gives generously to others might live a more functional, happier, and healthier life. It also shows that helping behavior increases immunity & relieves pain by decreasing stress.

As you grow older you will discover,that you have two hands;One for helping yourself, the other for helping others. -Abraham Lincoln

Wednesday, 5 October 2011

As we know, physical exercise done at a high heart rate is imperative on a daily basis. This flushes out toxins, improves blood/oxygen circulation and more importantly make you feel good by secretion of endorphins. This is well known and the least implemented world over!

Many times we start this activity with right intentions to continue forever. But it loses its charm and motivation to sustain within a few weeks.

Why is this problem? Globally, many surveys have been conducted to ascertain the real cause. Understanding this behavior is the key for burgeoning wellness industry.

Most of us start the exercise regime with a vengeance. We think we can recover our lost time of the past by putting in more. Hence, instead to making it fit comfortably in our routine, we force-fit it. And very soon this new guest is thrown out by the current list of well occupied terrorists!

Some practical suggestions, which may go a long way in making physical activity a regular habit:

Before starting get proper assessment of your physical and clinical parameters.

Allocate a time in your routine, which is really feasible. Duration is not important in the beginning.

Plenty of choices are available for physical activity. Treadmill/cross-trainer is not the only option. Gardening, dancing or good physical play with your kids is another fruitful option. Identify one which really engages you.

Do not set any lofty goals or targets as an output of your hard work. Remember, perseverance will pay.

Find a partner in your spouse or friend, who has similar approach. Mismatch in expectation of your partner can break this routine.

Socializing your routine with people can work both ways. So you decide when you would like to leverage social pressure to keep you going.

Every form of physical exercise is beneficial. Let it be simple walking, stretching, spot jogging or opting for stairs during office hours. Cumulative walks of 2-3 km by choice during office hours are also helpful.

Use pedometer or mobile apps on fitness, which help you to monitor, track and measure your workout.

Here is a sample practical routine for a time-constrained executive:

Morning (~15 min)

-5 cycle of Surya Namaskar (5-6 min)

-5 min spot jogging

-3 min deep breathing

All Day

-Try to achieve minimum of 5,000 steps (~3 km) during work by intelligently using your feet.

Before dinner (~10 min)

-5 cycle of Suryanamaskar (5-6 min)

-5 min of Shava-asana

Benefits of giving space to this activity in your life far exceed the resistance. Hence, lets start what your ancestors have always done. Elevate yourself from sedentary to an active lifestyle.

Cheers!

As we know, physical exercise done at a high heart rate is imperative on a daily basis. This flushes out toxins, improves blood/oxygen circulation and more importantly â€œmake you feel goodâ€ by secretion of endorphins. This is well known and the least implemented world over!

Many times we start this activity with right intentions to continue forever. But it loses its charm and motivation to sustain within a few weeks.

Why is this problem? Globally, many surveys have been conducted to ascertain the real cause. Understanding this â€œbehaviorâ€ is the key for burgeoning wellness industry.

Most of us start the exercise regime with a vengeance. We think we can recover our lost time of the past by putting in more. Hence, instead to making it fit comfortably in our routine, we force-fit it. And very soon this new guest is thrown out by the current list of well occupied terrorists!

Some practical suggestions, which may go a long way in making physical activity a regular â€œhabitâ€:

Before starting get proper assessment of your physical and clinical parameters.

Allocate a time in your routine, which is really feasible. Duration is not important in the beginning.

Plenty of choices are available for physical activity. Treadmill/cross-trainer is not the only option. Gardening, dancing or good physical play with your kids is another fruitful option. Identify one which really engages you.

Do not set any lofty goals or targets as an output of your hard work. Remember, perseverance will pay.

Find a partner in your spouse or friend, who has similar approach. Mismatch in expectation of your partner can break this routine.

Socializing your routine with people can work both ways. So you decide when you would like to leverage social pressure to keep you going.

Every form of physical exercise is beneficial. Let it be simple walking, stretching, spot jogging or opting for stairs during office hours. Cumulative walks of 2-3 km by choice during office hours are also helpful.

Use pedometer or mobile apps on fitness, which help you to monitor, track and measure your workout.

Here is a sample practical routine for a time-constrained executive:

Morning (~15 min)

-5 cycle of Suryanamaskar (5-6 min)

-5 min spot jogging

-3 min deep breathing

All Day

-Try to achieve minimum of 5,000 steps (~3 km) during work by intelligently using your feet.

Before dinner (~10 min)

-5 cycle of Suryanamaskar (5-6 min)

-5 min of Shava-asana

Benefits of giving â€œspaceâ€ to this activity in your life far exceed the resistance. Hence, letâ€™s start what your ancestors have always done. Elevate yourself from sedentary to an active lifestyle.

Friday, 9 September 2011

What is Fat?Food which is in excess is stored by body for future use as energy reserve. Small quantity of FAT as stored energy is useful in giving body the flexibility of dipping in reserve to address exigency situations. Fat is also important in maintaining proper body functions, e.g. protein synthesis.

Fat accumulation starts happening in various parts of our body, when quantity of food consumed and daily physical activity continue to create a positive balance. It starts with central obesity (fatty lever), but slowly spreads in various parts of our body.

Fat as a reserve energy should be a good thing. Imagine you are on a tour for few days, just bank on your reserve. Similarly when you grow old and hate buying & cooking food daily, just dig into your well preserved fat reserve for energy!! You wish that is a reality...

So how are you going to utilize this extra mass, which you are carrying on your body daily? It definitely not add feather to your physical look!

Then, what is it really doing for you? There is enough literature around and awareness through media which talks about life threatening diseases being caused by over-weight and obesity. This so called savings which you strived hard to accumulate has now become your enemy. 75 percent of Indian women and 58 percent of Indian men suffer from central obesity. And approximately six out of 10 such cases are likely to develop into serious health conditions such as diabetes or cardio vascular disease.

However, if your physical activity is proportionately increased with food consumption, this death messenger (fat) can be effectively utilized in strengthening your body muscles and organs.

Now let's draw a parallel with MONEY.

Money has a very similar connotation as fat. It is essential in small quantity to address daily need for self and family. Small reserve is also important to meet the exigency situations. When money is produced in excess, it becomes boon or bane based on its utilization. When excess money is effectively deployed to address the need of community and society, it benefits the society and enhances your reputation. If money is hoarded as FAT (unwarranted reserve), it becomes the source of unhappiness. It invites perennial diseases like greed, selfishness, individualism, hate and ultimately grief & depression. You can NEVER use this, very similar to your FAT.

HEALTHY people effectively deploy their fat & money for good health and happier society.

Thursday, 11 August 2011

Very few percentage of people venture in this space. Failure is a big risk here. Which is actually true in every aspect of our life.

Sometime back I wrote on 'failure of an entrepreneur". Later I realized that I am not right in that completely. Entrepreneurship is a journey, not a race or an end-point. The experience of this journey in itself is unbelievable. Entrepreneur's ability to observe things, pick the one which is most relevant, and act on it diligently is unique. He/she has a child like curiosity to learn, ability to make a mistake, ask stupid questions with innocence and hunger to conquer the world in the most constrained situations.

Who wins the race is completely irrelevant. The ability to experience the view of life from this plane in itself is an achievement.

Saturday, 6 August 2011

I have often wondered as to how it is that marathoners keep going on for hours just running!!! What keeps them pepped up for the entire journey! While for others even contemplating running for few hundred meters appears to be a daunting task.

After repeated discussions with avid runners on what makes them persevere, the answer appears to be not so much in physical endurance than in mental PERSEVERANCE. In other words, commonly known as grit and self-determination!

From childhood we have heard inspirational stories on people who have overcome all hardships and achieved their dreams in life. The latest movie King is Speech reflected the story of Prince Albert who had a stuttering problem whenever he faced an audience and who went on to overcome his problems with the help of a speech therapist and sheer determination! He suffered setbacks and even gave up after getting frustrated due to repeated failures but still he came around and went on to publicly address Britain and the World as King Henry IV without any speech impediments!

My understanding of perseverance is that it is the ability to steadfastly hold on to one is dreams and not letting go of them regardless of what comes in one is way. Here I am not referring to obstinacy which is just pointless and continuous banging of one is head on the wall and eventually collapsing. Rather, perseverance involves common sense and creativity i.e. the ability to look at other possibilities to help one keep going in the face of roadblocks.

So what can we do to develop this amazing ingredient for success?! Nobody can deny the importance of a positive attitude to help one sail through their low phases. And this attitude develops only through positive self-dialogue and affirmations that one has to constantly make and develop as a habit. There are enough inspirational quotes and stories to fall back on which would help us develop a strong character in the face of adversity.

We can study people around us for inspiration. We have real life examples of people like Mahendra Singh Dhoni to motivate us. He rose from being a humble ticket collector to the most sought after cricketer who brought so much fame to our country. So whenever we falter we just need to pause and look around for such role models, pick ourselves up and just get going!

Let me share some simple techniques, which when practiced can help a long way in developing this key trait:

- Post visual reminders of positive dialogues in your home or office desks

- Break down your goals and reward yourself after achieving each small goal

- Keep patting yourself on your back and push yourself to achieve the next target

- Repeatedly visualize yourself overcoming all the obstacles, reaching the target and experiencing the joys of success

Be aware of these negatives, which may break you apart:

- Avoid self blame and stop wallowing in self pity as this would pull you down further

- Procrastination is another evil that can interfere with your determination, hence be cautious about not postponing the important priorities in life

Right from sustaining a marriage to adopting a healthy lifestyle, perseverance plays a great role in keeping our life going. It is required to maintain positive health behaviors and to diligently follow an active lifestyle which should be based on healthy eating habits, regular exercise and a positive mental attitude. The repercussion of not pursuing the same eventually leads to sickness of the body and mind and impairs the quality of one is life.

Hence get going and keep in mind this quote by Franklin D. Roosevelt - When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.

Friday, 5 August 2011

There are times when we feel we are on top of the world. Every thing looks good and nothing is impossible. Similarly there are times when world looks gloomy. This is true with every individual.

When we are feeling high, it is important to keep the feet on the ground and remember that it is a transient phase. When we can do that, it helps us in dealing effectively those times when we are in lows.

It appears logical, but we tend to do the reverse. We fly when we are high and sink to the bottom during lows.

It is some time very difficult to come out of low feeling, and the negative thinking can put us in a vicious cycle of disaster.

Once the concept of "transient phase" is ingrained in our mind, we become more balanced and our behavior is appropriate. And our ability to pass these phases without making a fatal mistake improves many fold.

I really like this saying: "How you manage when you have nothing, and how you behave when you have everything - makes a man".

Tuesday, 12 July 2011

When we think of bone, calcium is the first thing which comes to mind. For healthy bones, we are ready to take any substance which is calcium rich and the most convenient form of calcium used today is pills. Pregnant women, children, women at menopause, adults above forty years of age are common target for calcium pills.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. It interacts with phosphorus to form calcium phosphate which forms bone and teeth. Calcium is essential in intra and extracellular fluid exchange, blood clotting, metabolic functions and maintaining a regular heartbeat.

As an important element for body function, it is stored in a very usable form, bone (99%) and balance (1%) in the blood serum. The 1% calcium in blood stream is critical to maintain ionic balance; hence any deficit will be made good by drawing from bone.

The bone, like other body parts is a tissue which constantly needs maintenance or remodeling. The process of replacement of old bone with new bone deposition continues for a life time with little change in shape. After the age of 35 and beyond, remodeling rate gradually declines. And after 40+ the rate of bone loss overtakes the deposition and the adult can lose up to 10% of bone mass every decade. This is equivalent to a daily loss of 15 to 30 mg of calcium.

Can a calcium pill substitute this LOSS?

Bone resorption (old bone removal) is a fairly rapid process. However bone deposition is more complex and slow process. It follows a certain biochemical and physical sequence of events in the presence of hormones, enzymes etc. for mineralization process to begin.

Calcium Metabolism

Very small amounts of calcium can be absorbed throughout the small intestine.Â It needs assistance to cross through cellular membranes. Only a specific variant of vitamin D, synthesized in the skin by UV radiation can help in this process.

After calcium is metabolized, it should be effectively deposited on the bone. However, this is a further complex process. It is triggered by regular and specific movement of body parts, which enhances bone remodeling.

Calcium Sources

Best three sources of calcium are food, food and food!

Food items, which are good source of calcium, are as below:

Dairy foods (milk, yogurt, cheese)

Leafy green vegetables (broccoli, spinach)

Fruits (orange)

Beans (tofu, peanuts, peas, black beans)

Fish (salmon, sardines)

Hence, for the body to effectively utilize calcium for bone strengthening three steps are involved:

Step 1.

Eat from its natural source. Natural sources of calcium have a high bioavailability and hence the quantity absorbed in the body is high. At least 3 servings of dairy products along with other calcium rich foods are needed to make up the recommended dosage of 1000-1200mg a day.

Monday, 4 July 2011

Let me share my story. I am one of the 99%, who is going through a series of failures.

Clarity in understanding customer's pain point and solving it through a viable & scalable solution is key to success. It is said easily but very difficult to crystallize.

I am in a business of health & wellness services. Health is a concern of every individual. Wellness is important to each one of us. But till I understand customers pain point in addressing health & well-being for themselves and their family members, and there by find a viable solution to address the same, I am beating around the bush with my offerings!

I know that the answer to my problem lies with my customer. But I am NOT listening to their need. It is getting lost in the noise of my own knowledge.

Friday, 24 June 2011

Stress is a spice of life. It is good. For millions of years, living beings are trained to handle acute stress. Under acute stress, flight or fight mechanism is activated, thereby hormones and steroids are secreted to keep the body under complete alert. All routine tasks - digestive process, repair of tissues, detoxification etc. are put on hold. Safety and security system is activated - senses are heightened, increase in WBC, elimination of digestive waste to prevent infection, increase in energy output etc. Physical activity during this stage neutralizes the steroids and after a while body come under normal routine activity.

In today's world we undergo stress situation every hour. Hooting at fellow commuters while driving car, unpleasant conversation with boss in office, argument with vendors on delivery, indiscipline from subordinates etc. This happens without accompanying any physical activity. We call this chronic stress situation. This disrupts routine body tasks completely and keep body & mind under high alert. Steroids produced during this process impacts severely body organs.

Wednesday, 22 June 2011

85% of successful people are with average intelligence and high perseverance. Sports is the best teacher of perseverance. Marathon or long distance running is one such sport which can help you inculcate this important quality. Long distance running is a mind game. After few miles, when cheering of crowd subsides, it is the runner and his mind which is fighting the battle. Marathon training helps you win over this situation effectively.

I suggest people to remain active in sports forever to nurture such traits.

Thursday, 2 June 2011

Health and wellness has today become one of the major concerns in the modern life, especially in the corporate world.We all have read the news on untimely demise of Mr. Raghu Pillai (Future Group CEO & Executive Board Member). Mr. Pillai is the third high-profile corporate leader that India Inc has lost to heart attack in the past two years. And unfortunately, many more such deaths go unnoticed. Attributing their death to any one specific issue is like looking at the tip of iceberg.

2mpower consultants interviewed people at CXO level in the corporate world and researched on lifestyle of top executives for the last fifteen months as part of our initiative to empower people's life (www.2mpower.in). Presented here is a view point or an approach which can play an important role in preventing such incidence in the future, while people continue to perform duty in high stress corporate world.

When it comes to health and wellness, we talk about nutritious food, physical activity, good sleep and ability to manage work-life balance. But you will agree that India Inc senior professionals are well read and exposed to such basic advice. They are smart enough to appreciate this and incorporate it as part of their lifestyle. Then why we have seen such incidence in the past!

In our study, we have found that 99% people (including doctors) lack in effective execution of this basic mantra, thereby invite illness on themselves. Why is this so? Here is an interesting analysis.

Our day is occupied by series of task. Daily task selection and even prioritization is dictated by our value system. These are individual values, family values, social values and work values. Importance of these values for effective living starts forming right from childhood but gets fully crystallized during young adulthood. Most people at various phase of their life compromise on some by giving importance to other. When this neglect happens unwillingly, it causes conflict. Conflict is the root cause of strain on our individual, family, social or work fabric. Conflict results in negativity. This precipitates as negative stress in our daily life. Negative stress results in physiological changes which impacts body organs and causes imbalance in our day to day functioning. Disease arising from such living condition is termed as lifestyle diseases. Onset of such conditions is gradual and precipitate at the age group of 40-50 years.

Hard work or positive stress by itself does not cause distress or mental exhaustion. It is caused by our conflict in values, which results in imbalance task selection. After a heart attack or a loss of dear one, we reevaluate this imbalance. But very soon get back to our old routine.

In 2mpower, we have been working with our clients in addressing this core issue. We have seen astonishing results. Once mental conflict is resolved, life style changes require little effort in adoption, be it diet, exercise, rest or work-life balance.

Implementation of these four elements (diet, exercise, sleep, stress) through balanced value system is critical. Implementation in silos will be incomplete and ineffective.

Wednesday, 1 June 2011

There is a synergy between health & wealth. If you have been able to manage your health, it is very likely that you have done the same with your wealth.

Wealth management and wealth accumulation are two different things. Unfortunately, we tend to do the later and think we are managing our wealth wisely. You need not be rich to manage your wealth.

Similarly health management and physical training are two different aspects. Once again, we do the later and think that we are managing our health. For effective health management, you need not be in an excellent physical shape.

Both discipline require structured approach with regular monitoring and measurements.

Wealth management is managing risk by allocating fund in various asset class, invested in a systematic fashion and ensuring that this ratio is maintained and reviewed periodically.

Health management is managing health risks by allocating time to mind, body and vital in a balanced and systematic fashion. Ensuring that this time sharing is non-negotiable. Health parameters are measured & reviewed periodically.

Good wealth management includes interest of self and society at large. Similarly good health management benefits society as you become the ambassador of health for your family and friends.

Sunday, 22 May 2011

Our body need small quantity of fat for maintaining proper body functions. It is used in protein synthesis and for many other biochemical processes of body as a catalyst. Access food is diligently converted into fat, to be used as an energy reserve, essential during sleep or under emergency.When quantity of fat increases beyond the necessary amount, it starts interfering with normal body functions. In fact it becomes the cause for slow deterioration thereby inviting various diseases. However, if physical activity is proportionately increased, fat is effectively dissipated and it also helps in strengthening body muscles.

Money has a similar connotation as fat. It is essential in small quantity to address daily need for self and family. When money is produced in excess, it becomes boon or bane based on its utilization. When excess money is effectively deployed to address the need of poor people, it benefits the society and enhances your reputation. Otherwise it becomes the source of unhappiness in the family.

Healthy people effectively deploy their fat & money for good health and happiness.

Friday, 20 May 2011

Just observe for a moment your body. Your body is doing zillions of routine tasks at levels of cells, tissues and organs. Wheather it is repair of torn ligament or processing of air for blood purification or filteration of toxins. Each task is performed with precision of time and quality. Else you will not exist.

When you run to catch a bus or panic out of fear, again body has to respond instantaneously by giving additional energy or alerting the system for flight or fight. This adaptation happens continuously 24x7. And body responds without neglecting the routine tasks.

Beyound the routine work, your mind is continuously innovating ideas/thoughts as you interact with your environment. It can be an advice to a dear friend or solving a problem.

So your body does routine tasks with precision, continuously adapt to new challenges and stay creative with innovative approaches. This is the law of nature.

Now you observe yourself. Most of us tend to fail on all three counts. We default in our routine tasks time and again. And blame it on emergencies. When CHANGE comes, we procastinate or find excuse for avoiding it. And finally, most of us lack creativity or innovation. Be it at work or otherwise.

Wednesday, 18 May 2011

Many times it happens that we are not able to control our anger and make statements which hurt others. We may be right in getting angry, but not necessarily in our expression. Sometime it is NOT possible to control ourselves. Most of us succumb to such moments.

However, when we continue our anger and let our EGO not allow us to make first move towards reconciliation, we lose out. If we can practice to think objectively post our argument, and make first move to solve the issue at hand, we have won the battle. Remember, post such splash, both the parties are feeling bad about the incident and are highly susceptible towards compromise. First mover advantage gives you the upper hand.

Psychologist call this exercise as building your "Let Go" muscles. This is the first step towards winning over your anger. Once "Let Go" muscles are strengthened, our ability to remain calm under tense situation also improves.

Sunday, 15 May 2011

Solitude is an important part of human nature. It helps us connect back with our self and with the nature. It is like observing the world around us, while staying detached with it. Not many of us understand and appreciate this phase properly. Hence, we try to avoid it by engaging into meaningless activities. People who have not developed this ability, feel lonely and bored when left on their own.

Solitude is an important aspect of wellness. It is NOT meditation. It is a phase which allows us to revalidate our values, ponder on our existance and its relevance to people and surrounding in which we exist.

Today in a nuclear family world, we have enough time to understand, nourish and practice solitude. Destress and simplify your life through meaningful solitude.

Thursday, 12 May 2011

When you do a task as a ritual, it has a small shelf life. It fades away after a while. When you join a fitness regime for a regular workout, it is mainly taken as a ritual. Hence within a short period, it loses novelty. And you are back to your old sedentary lifestyle.

On the contrary, when you take a task as your responsibility, it continues perpetually. This include your tasks as head of family, as a parent, as a spouse, as a professional and so on. Hence, for health and wellbeing activity to sustain forever, it has to be taken as a RESPONSIBILITY. Once you have adopted this approach, you will enjoy the fruits of good health.

Mind Shift is a good technique to allow you to do things outside your comfort zone. Every time when we confront a task, our mind evaluates it on two counts: 1. How URGENT is this task for your personal gain? and 2. Is the task falls within your comfort zone? The quantity of resistance is seen based on the answers to above questions. Training your mind to allow shift in this decision, plays an important part in personal growth. Try this technique on simple things first. Say your food/lifestyle habits: No dessert after meal; Getting up on regular time despite of late night activity; No cola with and after meals etc. Small mind shifts allow you to take bolder decisions outside your comfort zone in the future.

I hear this umpteen number of times from my clients. "Everything was going well but since last week I am on travel!" Travel is a part of your busy corporate life. Your health regime cannot be bartered for it. This trade-off will make any health and wellbeing program ineffective. What you need to learn is "how to create slots for your daily physical/mental activity during this hectic trip." And coupled with it be smart in not missing on the key food items in your diet - like whole fruits, wholesome salad, bran, curd/skim milk & dry fruits. Beside this eat other things available intelligently. I have personally inculcated this in my lifestyle, and it pays handsomely. Believe me, once you decide to do it, it is very much feasible. Else, your excuse factory will continue to mislead you forever...

Tuesday, 10 May 2011

Do you know what is Axis of Health? It is just like an integer chart. Negative numbers on your left side, zero in the middle and positive numbers on right side. Axis of Health represent Good Health on right side, Status Quo in the middle and Disease Condition on left side. Most of us never experience the state of Good Health. After we are born, we spend early part of adolescent years in the centre of this axis, then start sliding towards the left side - getting consumed in the state of disease for the rest of our life.

State of wellness is an ardous uphill journey towards an experience of Good Health. Few who have lived that state, cherish it forever. I wish our future hospitals can transform into holistic well-being centers, helping people to look and travel on right side of Axis of Health!

Monday, 9 May 2011

Many people ask me this question! How much time is good enough for wellness regime? People have different views on this. Some say that one hour every other day should suffice. Others claim that every day 30-45 minutes is better. I think people misunderstand physical activity regime with wellness regime. For wellness regime to work effectively, it has to be 24x7. Wellness should reflect in your each and every activity. Starting with morning hygiene, breakfast, putting a seat-belt in your car, driving, talking to your peers, attending business meeting, spending time with your children, family dinner or going to bed. Wellness has to be a way of life. Infact one of the reason for religion to come into existance is to implement wellness in our life.

Thursday, 5 May 2011

Some of you will think why we have chosen such an obvious topic for our newsletter this month!

In our last sixteen months of interaction with hundreds of people with varied background, we realized that 80% people are ignorant about dental hygiene. And 100% are not following the complete regime for maintaining healthy teeth.

Proper dental hygiene is linked to reduced incidence of heart disease and is correlated with greater longevity. Less than 1% Indian report regular dental hygiene compared to 20% in developed economies.

Dental hygiene means removal of food particle trapped after every meal or snack we take. Food particle left unattended attracts bacteria, which while feeding on trapped food produces acid. Acid decays the strongest of human bone - our tooth. Process of decay is very slow, however continuous. Hence, we start having cavities (bacteria reaching the pulp) as early as thirty years of age.

Most of us brush regularly with an intention to prevent this damage. However, technique deployed is incorrect, which continue to damage our gums and helps in further tooth decay.

Here are simple techniques for healthy teeth:

1. Brushing: Twice a day, vertical from gums towards tooth at 45 degree angle. Intention is to massage the gums and remove trapped food particles between teeth. It hardly feels like brushing!!

2. Flossing: Once at bed time to remove food particles trapped between gums and tooth. Take the floss along the curve of the tooth (not vertical) to prevent damage to gums.

3. Mouth wash with potassium permanganate (add few crystals to one liter of water) daily. This disinfects, neutralizes acid and controls growth of nuisance microorganism.

Wednesday, 4 May 2011

Our good health is linked to our value system. Every action is decided by values which we have for self, family, society and work. These values start forming from childhood days. A balanced value system helps in clam and composed personality. Skewed and strained value fabric is the foundation for conflict, which produces negative energy. Conflict causes sustained or chronic STRESS in our life. And foundation of disease starts with chronic stress. Today's lifestyle diseases are the by-product of this condition.

Hence, foundation of good health should begin with balancing your values in the above four areas. This will automatically ensure your compliance to health regimen. Which will result is Good Health.

Friday, 1 April 2011

We are living in a world of choices! Physical activity is no exception. One has to choose from outdoor/indoor sports, fitness clubs, running/cycling, aerobics, yoga, trekking, martial arts and so on. Each one of these activities gets introduced at different juncture in our life. I am not a proponent of any one of them, but surely a consumer of most of them.

I started practicing yoga routinely since last ten years. In this article, I am attempting to break some myths and help see the reality of this important discipline.

Myths:

There are so many types of Yoga; I am not sure which is good for me?

Yoga means breathing exercises i.e. Pranayamas.

Yoga is helpful when you have chronic conditions.

Yoga means meditation.

Yoga is performed with expert teacher in a group class.

Reality:

Yoga is a set of asanas, mudras and kriyas designed for flexibility, strength, better oxygenation of tissues, rejuvenation of organs and mental relaxation. Hatha Yoga (powerful physical work) has many simple asanas, which can be started by a novice.

Yoga gives emphasis on proper breathing pattern while performing any of the asanas. This prevents injury and enhances the benefits of asanas.

Like any other exercise, Yoga benefits most when you are healthy.

Relaxation is a well established medical technique to prevent anxiety. As Yoga is a way of life, meditation is a part of this discipline to calm the mind.

Yoga is best performed early morning in isolation.

I suggest that every individual should include few asanas/kriyas/mudras in their daily routine, especially for rejuvenation of organs and mental relaxation. Here is my recommendation for 15 minute routine.

Tuesday, 8 March 2011

On International Women's Day we dedicate our newsletter towards empowering women readers and wishing them health forever!

We all know that women are the healthier sex. So why would they care what good habits guys use to stay fit? Research shows that men have an easier time losing weight and finding happiness than women do, thanks to key lifestyle differences.

#1: Eat a Real MealWomen eat too little at breakfast and lunch, and without enough calories and the right combination of protein, carbs, and fat in a meal, their blood sugar levels fluctuate. That can leave them feeling hungry, which increases their chances of staging a mid-afternoon unhealthy snack or overeating at night. In the morning, swap your usual bowl of cornflakes for an egg-and-cheese sandwich or oatmeal topped with nuts or fruit. Then, to stay full until dinner, bulk up your midday meal with lots of salads. Front-loading your calories like this may feel like overeating, but research has found that it actually helps you take in fewer calories overall.

#2: Team sportsWomen give up on team sports after school. If they do any regular exercise at all, they tend to swim, jog or join the gym. But team sports have unique benefits. Studies show that team play makes women physically fitter and emotionally healthier and have more fun. This is the most reliable way to sustain exercise for lifelong than a short-term fad.

#3. Hit the gym, not the fridgeMen are good at exercising. They never seem bothered about getting sweaty and red in the face. Most importantly, men use exercise in the same way many women use food. When men feel stressed, they take it out on the rowing machine or the resistance weights not the chocolate counter.

#4: Work the weightsWalk into any gym and you'll find men pumping iron and women pounding the treadmill. Women are more likely to focus on cardiovascular exercise, while men mix sessions of cardiovascular and resistance training. Resistance training builds muscle and muscle burns fat. As your lean muscle increases so does your resting metabolism, which means you burn more calories. And you don't have to pump iron to see the benefits. Sit-ups, push-ups and walking up stairs can all build muscle mass.

#5: Worry less, sleep betterAccording to a study for the National Sleep Foundation, women are up to twice as likely as men to have difficulty falling and staying asleep and to experience daytime sleepiness. That can be because of biological factors, like pregnancy and menstrual-related hormone fluctuations. But stress plays a big part too. Men are better at putting the worries of the day to bed, before they go to bed. Women are hardwired to agonise over problems, and that's backed up by the fact that twice as many women as men are diagnosed with depression. Knowing you might have a practical answer to a tricky problem certainly helps you sleep at night. If it works or not is a different thing, you'll surely sleep tight.